Example Career: Mechatronics Engineers

Career Description

Research, design, develop, or test automation, intelligent systems, smart devices, or industrial systems control.

What Job Titles Mechatronics Engineers Might Have

• Automation Engineer
• Controls Engineer
• Equipment Engineer
• Principal Engineer

What Mechatronics Engineers Do

• Design engineering systems for the automation of industrial tasks.
• Create mechanical design documents for parts, assemblies, or finished products.
• Maintain technical project files.
• Implement or test design solutions.
• Create mechanical models and tolerance analyses to simulate mechatronic design concepts.
• Conduct studies to determine the feasibility, costs, or performance benefits of new mechatronic equipment.
• Publish engineering reports documenting design details or qualification test results.
• Research, select, or apply sensors, communication technologies, or control devices for motion control, position sensing, pressure sensing, or electronic communication.
• Identify and select materials appropriate for mechatronic system designs.
• Apply mechatronic or automated solutions to the transfer of materials, components, or finished goods.
• Design advanced precision equipment for accurate or controlled applications.
• Upgrade the design of existing devices by adding mechatronic elements.
• Analyze existing development or manufacturing procedures and suggest improvements.
• Provide consultation or training on topics such as mechatronics or automated control.
• Oversee the work of contractors in accordance with project requirements.
• Design, develop, or implement control circuits or algorithms for electromechanical or pneumatic devices or systems.
• Design advanced electronic control systems for mechanical systems.
• Develop electronic, mechanical, or computerized processes to perform tasks in dangerous situations, such as underwater exploration or extraterrestrial mining.
• Design mechatronics components for computer-controlled products, such as cameras, video recorders, automobiles, or airplanes.
• Create embedded software design programs.

What Mechatronics Engineers Should Be Good At

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

What Mechatronics Engineers Should Be Interested In

• Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

What Mechatronics Engineers Need to Learn

• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.